It comes as no surprise that presence was felt on the court immediately upon returning from his injury. Tuesday night saw the 7 foot superstar return to the court for the first time in over two months, and he aided in the comeback win against the . Embiid played 30 minutes in his first game in nine weeks, notching 24 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. The Sixers were trailing for most of the game, including by eleven points in the final seven minutes of the game. But Embiid put the Sixers ahead with four free throws in the final 40 seconds of the game, allowing them to secure the 109-105 victory. The return of Embiid shortly before the playoffs instills newfound confidence in the team. After he went down on January 30 with a torn meniscus, he underwent knee surgery and missed the next two months. The Sixers went from third place in the Eastern Conference with him, to eighth without him. However, the regaining of Embiid before the playoffs will give the Sixers a much better chance to make noise in the playoffs. Embiid Almost Ready to Roll During Tuesday night’s game, Embiid was clearly not ramped up enough to his previous levels, but right out of the gate, he was ready to roll. He recorded 30 minutes of play, more than some expected, but Sixers coach Nick Nurse specified that the amount of time was right around what they had expected. “I mean, I think minutes wise, that was probably where I thought we would end up. I thought we got in a good start to the half and kind of had it mapped out. Something like that minutes wise. Obviously, I thought the biggest impact was that he scored some. I thought he passed the ball really well.” – Nick Nurse Embiid has always been known to adapt quickly to situations, and his return will be no exception. With the playoffs right around the corner, the Sixers will need their superstar to return to full form. The team expects that to occur over the next few games, where Embiid will use the rest of the season to recoup, and then come playoffs, will be back to his full form. “Normally, I would say [his return to form] is gonna take a bit. But, again, I just have seen him appear to be conditioning. He needs to have some conditioning, and that changes pretty quick for him. So normally, I would say, you know, a couple weeks, week and a half, whatever. But it wouldn't surprise me hearing about one more game or two that he's ready to roll.” –Nick Nurse on Embiid’s return to form Joel Embiid Among NBA's Most Feared Opponents It is no doubt that when Joel Embiid is on the court, the Sixers gain a prominent advantage. This was certainly the case on Tuesday night against the Thunder, the top team in the West. A young, talented squad like Oklahoma City was almost able to defeat a Sixers squad featuring a version of Embiid not yet returned to full form. But even with Embiid not yet at his peak, he was still the benefactor that prevented the Thunder from getting the win. Chet Holmgren went off in the game, scoring 22 points and seven rebounds, but the team could not cling on to their double digit lead down the stretch as Embiid led the 76ers comeback. It is no surprise that the team simply plays differently when Embiid is on the court versus when he is absent. “He changes them significantly. They play a lot different stylistically when he’s in to where they have been lately in the last 30 games he’s been out or so. When he plays, it certainly changes their approach.” –Thunder coach Mark Daigenault on Embiid's return The Thunder are no joke of a team, either. Prior to Tuesday’s loss in Philadelphia, they had won their last two and were first in the Western Conference. Now, they are tied for first, along with the and . It is safe to say that the West is a tight race, but the Thunder possess the young talent to emerge on top. The 76ers will need Embiid if they wish to make up some ground in the standings that they lost. However, they will not have long to do it, as only seven games remain. Philadelphia will take on the on Thursday, the team behind them, while the Thunder will head to Boston to take on the , the top team in the league.